To be in tears over the news today?

[KnockMeDown]

71 migrants suffocated in a truck. Countless scores drowning in the Med. There doesn't seem to be an answer - they will keep coming, searching for a better life, wanting just the basics for their families.

I've kept it at bay up to now, but that truck... What were they thinking at the end

I don't know what to say, or think, or do, but I am incredibly upset over it.

No easy solution and a lot of emotions associated with this as well

Until you stop the reason that the refugees are fleeing their countries, then they will keep aiming for a better life and if I was in the same position, I would probably do the same as the risks have been weighed up

If you take the emotion aspect out of this, the traffickers are making a fortune out of other peoples misery and Europe are picking up the bill

Question is, at what point will Europe say enough, no more can come in as we have enough problems of our own and we have no more "spare" money

It is not a single country problem but a Europe wide problem so some joined up thinking is needed and some hard choices will need to be made

After reading all the horrible stories about the refugee crisis, I saw a small story related to the hunt for treasure stolen by the Nazis. It really jarred with me that we constantly talk about the lessons of the Holocaust but when faced with a real modern day human tragedy, we turn our backs. What exactly did we learn?
Syrians cannot stay in their own country. It's a fact. Yet the world turns a blind eye. We should all count our blessings to have been born in this country and implore the international community to share responsibility for these poor people. I have to say I am appalled by the attitude of some countries. I heard on France 24 Slovakia only wanted to take Christian refugees

yy coffee if Isis were heading in my direction I'd be getting the hell out. They've hardly got a good track record.

I don't know how it can be resolved. ..

It is not your problem. There have been migrations in Europe over centuries. Nature will sort the world out.

It's horrible. But behind all this is people smuggling which is organised crime operating on a huge scale. The gangs need targeting, breaking up, arresting, the networks need to be broken.

turtletea - your very dramatic and too the point post stopped me in my tracks, because you are absolutely right :(

I cannot believe how badly our government is handling this and the media, spreading hate and suspision.

I have avoided the news about this as much as i can, when i read the thread title i knew what it was about.

Those poor poor people.

Lovely attitude Pedant, I do hope karma repays it in kind.

It's beyond awful. Just incomprehensible. I am not a soft touch by any means when it comes to all the migrants waiting at Calais but you'd have to be a totally heartless ogre not to be moved by this particular story.

EngTech - why do we have to say no more?? By we, i mean europe? There has to be a consensus - we all have to do our bit, as human beings we have to have some moral responsibility. Or do we just pretend it isn't happening and carry on looking at pictures of cats on facebook?

I too am very sad at seeing deaths occur daily and I think there has to be a change, I actually think society is on the brink with ISIS committing atrocities, refugees fleeing and people campaigning about how we should not let them in. I can actually see a world wide crisis occurring soon and its frightening.

I think todays society encourages to look out for ones self and the likes of Hopkins and Cameron and the propaganda about poor people deserving bad things.

I actually believe ( I know I will be in the minority) that wealth should be redistributed and every person deserves to be fed and safe. Im not saying everyone should have the same money if a cleaner or a dr but I do think that there should be no one homeless or hungry.

Rich billionaires should take a long look at themselves and think how are they helping mankind sitting on a load of money whilst people are dying. I believe they have a moral duty to help others if they can.

No doubt I ll get jumped on for my views but I seriously cannot understand why rich people do not do more. YesI know some give to charity but its not every person in a position to do so who does this.

On the plus side I saw a lovely story today about refugees being welcomed on a coach by a german village who had turned out to welcome them with flowers and signs saying welcome

I agree op. These are not a different species. Some alien life form who love their children less and who want to rape us of what is rightfully ours.

These are fellow human beings who have been born into the situation by chance. And who believe they are making the best choice.

Given I can hardly bear to see my toddler run down the pavement just in case she trips into the road or faces a cyclist I cannot fathom the fear of the known which led them to this

But that german village can't keep welcoming refugees. Multiply that by many and change the village to a country and when does it stop?

It is horrific
I wish there was an answer, a way to stop the suffering.
Just opening up or borders would be madness. But there has go be an answer

If you take the emotion aspect out of this, the traffickers are making a fortune out of other peoples misery and Europe are picking up the bill

I really doubt the biggest bill is being paid by Europe by taking in some refugees especially when you net it off against the contribution refugees make to the countries, the money made from arms trading with warring countries etc.

Question is, at what point will Europe say enough, no more can come in as we have enough problems of our own and we have no more "spare" money

We never stop saying enough, no more, too much. Maybe we should stop. While people, real live, breathing, laughing, crying, feeling people are living under such abominable circumstances I believe we have an obligation to help where we can and reduce the harm we do.

It is not a single country problem but a Europe wide problem so some joined up thinking is needed and some hard choices will need to be made

Refugees are not particularly European problem. Most of those fleeing war, violence and oppression are displaced but remain in their own country, of those that cross borders most only get as far as neighbouring countries, often less well-equipped to cope than we are.

The world is a mass of humanitarian crises at local, regional and global levels. There is no quick, single or easy fix. I wish I had the solutions.

From UNHCR:

Developing countries host over 86% of the world’s refugees, compared to 70% ten years ago.
In 2014, the country hosting the largest number of refugees was Turkey, with 1.59 million refugees.

How many refugees are there in the UK?
At the end of 2014, the population of refugees, pending asylum cases and stateless persons made up just 0.24% of the population. That’s 117,161 refugees, 36,383 pending asylum cases and 16 stateless persons.

Even I, as hard hearted as I am was touched by the the news that 71 people, including little children had been suffocated to death because of some heartless, money grabbing person had seen fit to put these people in an airless lorry just so they could make money. BUT, the fault lies with the EU who are doing nothing to stop this from happening, we as normal people cant do anything to stop this, governments who have been elected on our behalf are the ones who should be doing something to solve this problem.

They are the ones that are letting these people down and are the ones who should be held responsible.

Wher do you put extra people?
How do you house them?

I was listening to R4 in the car today with the DCs and had to explain what had happened to DS1 who is 7. What do you say? How do you explain refugees and people smuggling to a child? It's horrific, but the guy from Save the Children on the radio did say, and I agree, that something must happen in the countries of origin so that people aren't forced to take such terrible risks with their lives and those of their families.

But if we take more where would we house them? It's the here and now where we need resources, so no point saying 'just build more houses'

Honestly, where would we put them? Where did that German village house people?

Those are very interesting statistics waffly. I

moreshabby how can you blame our government? The lorry was in Austria

Grape no the village cant take everyone but maybe if it changes peoples perceptions on refugees and every country started taking people in like that would be a start.

Also another story from Germany a person offered a spare room to 2 refugees and helped get them a job. If people actually started doing this instead of being so hostile at people being desperate to just live then it would be a start.

If people saw it as their moral duty as a human being then more people could be helped.

People were willing to help in wars and give spare rooms to children in the country but poor people from other countries are not worth saving.

I hate the fact some people place more value on peoples lives other others. Everyone has a right to live and no one is more important than anyone else

I know, it's horrible and I really don't want to know the details. I also feel incredibly sorry for the people having to deal with all the bodies, what a horrible, traumatic site. They'll never get over it.

I agree that we must treat the illness not the symptom. People are running from their Home Countries in fear for their lives. Change has to happen there.

But in the meantime how many people have to die in such awful circumstances

I don't know the answer, but it is horrifically sad.

It reminded me of the Chinese (?) migrants a few years ago who suffocated in a lorry but had mostly pinned their names on scraps of paper to their clothing. They must have known they would die but wanted someone to know who they were